LAHORE: President Arif Alvi on Friday said he would wait to exit the Lahore Allama Iqbal International Airport until a 32-vehicle security protocol assigned to escort him left the airport premises.
“Am at Lahore airport and there are 32 cars to escort me waiting outside. Will wait until they are sent away before I move out,” he tweeted from within the airport.
My continuous struggle to keep security but reduce protocol that inconveniences people. Am at Lahore airport and there are 32 cars to escort me waiting outside. Will wait until they are sent away before I move out
— Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) November 16, 2018
The president spoke about his “continuous struggle to keep security but reduce protocol that inconveniences people”.
Amid the party’s own opposition to the previous government’s VIP protocols, many questions have been raised about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders being assigned large security protocols despite the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government’s austerity drive.
Alvi has been outspoken about his security protocol in the past, previously saying that he has asked all officials present at the airport not to embarrass him with a huge protocol.
“I do not begrudge security but when it becomes painful for the common man we should draw a line somewhere,” he tweeted earlier.
On his recent visit to Quetta, a convoy of over 30 vehicles left the airport in three phases leading to traffic delays on several roads including Airport Road and Zarghoon Road.
